The disclosed subject matter relates to vehicle component attachment devices. More particularly, the disclosed subject matter relates to devices for mounting a stabilizer bar to a vehicle.
Vehicles, such as but not limited to all-terrain vehicles, can include a generally long-travel suspension assembly for each wheel that is designed to allow each wheel to move over relative large undulations and/or objects such that each suspension assembly can absorb some or all of the respective wheel displacement without transmitting the wheel displacement to the frame assembly or body assembly of the vehicle during travel over the uneven terrain. However, a long-travel suspension assembly can permit the frame assembly or body assembly of the vehicle to rotate about a longitudinal axis (also referred to as a roll axis) of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along a curved path. This rotation of the vehicle frame or body can be referred to as body roll.
As a countermeasure for reducing body roll while providing a soft or compliant suspension that can absorb an advantageous amount of wheel displacement, a stabilizer bar can be connected to the suspension assemblies on opposites sides at the same end of the vehicle. The stabilizer bar (also referred to as an anti-roll bar, or an anti-sway bar) is a relatively rigid member that is resistant to a torsional input caused by body roll while also being compliant to a torsional input caused by wheel displacement by uneven terrain.
For example, if the left-side suspension assembly moves in a direction that is opposite to the direction in which the right-side suspension assembly moves, then a torsional load is input to the stabilizer bar. The stabilizer bar can be tuned to absorb or resist this torsional input such that the relatively opposite movements of the left-side and right-side suspensions assemblies can be reduced or resisted, thereby reducing or resisting an amount of body roll during cornering.
Further, one or more bearings can be used to mount the stabilizer bar on a rigid portion of the vehicle, such as but not limited to the frame assembly or a rigid portion of the body assembly. The bearings permit the stabilizer bar to rotate within the bearings so that the stabilizer bar does not reduce or resist movement of the left-side and right-side suspension assemblies in the same direction. Portions of the bearings may be formed of a material that may degrade if subjected to excessive heat from the vehicle engine or exhaust system. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a device for attaching a stabilizer bar to the vehicle that protects the bearing from excessive heat, and that is easy to manufacture and install.